Another Tale of Time City
by Tari Star
Summary: Set in the beginning of the second age of Time City 20 years (about) after Faber John has sent the polarities out again. Two girls who come from different parts of history (and one from time city) have to join together to prevent Time City's history from
1. Meet Vivian and Alannari

Disclaimer: I do not own Time City or anything you recognize from A Tale of Time City

**Another Tale of ****Time********City**

_Time__City___

_1 century after Vivian Smith's adventure in time city_

_20 years after the beginning of the second age when Faber John sent the Polarities out again._      __

16 year old Vivian Genni Walker stumbled up the steps of the Perpetuum as fast as she could go. Even with the low weight function on her belt switched to as high as it could go; she was barely able to walk. Vivian was over 10 minutes late to her lesson with Dr. Rednalliw and knowing him, she would most likely be in big trouble. Vivian had stopped to talk with her friend and hadn't realized what time it was until it was too late. Now she would just have to face Dr. Rednalliw and another lecture about being late. By the time she had reached Seldom End, Vivian was completely out of breath and was too tired to knock on the door before entering. So she just banged it open and stormed inside falling onto the nearest chair. She glared at her younger brother Elio who was trying not to laugh but having a very hard time. Looking around she saw that her other brother, Sam, had skipped class again. Dr. Rednalliw cleared his throat and stood up. He loomed over Vivian, making her feel very uncomfortable.

"Er…I had to talk to someone. It was very important," Vivian lied and avoided Dr. Rednalliw's glare by staring at her desk as if it had become suddenly very interesting.

"I see," Dr. Rednalliw said simply. He strode back over to his desk and handed Vivian a long sheet of paper. "Study this and have it memorized by tomorrow." 

Vivian nodded and scanned the paper. It was about Jonathan Lee Walker, Vivian Smith, Sam Donegal, and Elio the android and the beginning of the Second Age of time. Vivian groaned, Dr. Rednalliw and all the teachers insisted that the children knew the history of Time City by heart. They said the knowledge would be useful in the future but it seemed to Vivian that the teachers were afraid of something, as if they thought that history might have a chance of repeating itself. Vivian knew that this was impossible. The whole city new so much about the mistakes they had made that there was no chance of them forgetting and losing the polarities again. The document that tells the locations of the polarities is kept under tight watch and no one except the Sempitern, Vivian's father, was allowed to look at it. Sighing Vivian settled back into her chair and began to read.

_Meanwhile…_

            14 year old Alannari Smith sat down near Gnomon tower to read her history book that the teacher had assigned. Alannari sighed as she leaned back against the tower looking up into the sky. Although she normally loved reading, today she just didn't feel like it. The sky was a brilliant blue with not a cloud in sight, just like the weather people had predicted. That was one thing Alannari loved about Time City; everything was so predictable, quite unlike back home where she grew up; Back in dirty, grimy history where anything could happen. Ever since she had come to Time City with her Aunt and Uncle, everything seemed to go perfectly. Uncle Sunaiviv, Aunt Agni, and their daughter Naiviv were horribly hard to live with back in history but now they were bearable. And she was able to go to Duration; the best school in all of Time City. But in order to stay at the school she had to get good grades. And to get good grades she would have to read this book. Alannari looked down at the huge book that lay in her lap. The Life of Vivian Smith was the name of the book. How many times had Alannari heard that name? At least two thousand times by now, she sighed and opened the book to the first page.

            _Vivian Smith was born and grew up in __London__. When the war started she was sent, along with hundreds of other city kids, to the country. She was ten years old at the time. Once the train arrived at the little town where her Cousin lived, Vivian Smith…_

Alannari had barely read a single paragraph before she was interrupted. A tall boy who was rather pudgy stood in front of her, a smirk on his face.

            "Hey, Ri-ri," He said.

            "Hello yourself, Sam," Alannari said, ignoring the older boy. 

Ri-ri was Sam's nickname for Alannari and he knew only too well that she hated being called that. Although Sam Walker was a couple years older than her, and was the Sempitern's son, he still didn't behave as he should, always teasing and bugging people, especially Alannari.

            "Aw, come on Ri," Sam said laughing, "You know I'm just teasing!"

            Alannari rolled her eyes, "I couldn't tell," she said, "Now just leave me alone so I can read my book, would you? I have to finish it by next week!"

            "Who cares about some dumb book?" Sam said, "Come on…there's a ceremony going on in a few minutes and I haven't used that hologram thing in weeks!" 

Alannari laughed, she and Sam had found a machine that could make 56th century holograms a few years ago and once they had figured out how to work it they had been interrupting ceremonies with it ever since.

"Oh all right," Alannari said, giving in, "It is funny to watch your father try to ignore the hologram!"

Sam helped Alannari to her feet and, leaving her book on the grassy hill, Alannari followed Sam through the crowds of people waiting to see the ceremony. The hologram box thing, as they called it, made one type of hologram: a strange dancing green man who played the bagpipes. Sam started the hologram right in time. The parade of the important people in Time City had just come around the corner. When the Sempitern first caught sight of the hologram his face betrayed a look of shock and surprise, then anger, then back to its cool, calm look. Alannari and Sam fell onto the ground, rolling with laughter. The Sempitern's face when he first saw the little green man had never ceased to amuse them. Then, before the Sempitern could figure out who was the cause of the disruption, Sam switched of the hologram and started to run, pulling Alannari behind him.

By the time they got back to the Gnomon Tower both of them were so out of breath from laughing so hard that they collapsed onto the grassy hill. Alannari pulled herself up to a sitting position and reached for her book.

"That was all very fun but I really should start reading this book!" Alannari said still laughing. 

Sam nodded, laughing a little. He stood up and jogged off to find someone else to bug. Alannari shook her head; someday that boy was going to get himself into real trouble.


	2. Lost in Time City

Disclaimer: I do not own Time City or anything you recognize from the book A Tale of Time City

A/N: I'll try to update my story at least every week….if not sooner. Four reviews for the first chapter…wow! Thanks everyone!

            Firecracker: I'm so glad you like my story!!!! Thanks for reviewing!

            ChocolateEclar: Thanks for reviewing my story! BTW: Your story was really awesome! I hope mine will end up just as cool. J

            Evermore Elf: Howl's Moving Castle is quite popular isn't it? It was my favorite book before I read A Tale of Time City. Thanks for your review!

            Erie Maxwell: Don't worry…butter pies appear in this chapter. But I'm afraid they don't play a big role in my story. J Although I do agree that they are very tasty! Thank you for reviewing!

**Another Tale of ****Time********City******

**Chapter 2**

**Lost in Time City**

_Still later that same day…_

            Vivian had just gotten home from Dr. Rednalliw's lesson when her 15 year old brother Sam knocked on her door.

            "Vi! Vi, can I use your automat?" Sam called.

            Vivian sighed, "Sure Sam, come in. But try to be quiet! I'm working on homework from Dr. Rednalliw's class. You really should stop skipping class like that, even if it is for a ceremony." She said.

            "I like the ceremonies. And who cares about Dr. Rednalliw. That old geezer doesn't even notice that I'm gone. Besides, without me interrupting those ceremonies I think the people watching would fall asleep. I did a good deed today!" Sam said coming into Vivian's room and giving her automat a good kick. The automat was really old and had belonged to Jonathan Lee Walker, her grandfather. Vivian was really proud of her ancient automat.

            "Be careful with that!" Vivian cried as Sam proceeded to kick the automat until a butter pie popped out. "And you know that the only reason why Dr. Rednalliw doesn't go to ceremonies is because of you! You annoyed him so much with that last hologram that now we have to go to lessons even during the biggest ceremony of the year!"

            "Whatever Viv," Sam said rolling his eyes. He walked out of her room, still munching on the butter pie and slammed the door behind him.

            Vivian sighed and flopped onto her bed. She would never finish this assignment on time with all these interruptions.

            "Vivian, dinners ready," Her mom called through the door. Vivian groaned and headed downstairs for dinner.

            After dinner, Vivian decided to give up on the homework assignment and instead wander around Time City. It had been growing steadily ever since they started to let anyone from history come and live in the city. In fact, it had grown so big that Vivian, who had lived in the city all her life, was still able to get lost in the many streets and alleyways. As she strolled along the crowded streets she thought about the paper. It had said that the history of Time City could very easily repeat itself and undo everything that had happened since the start of the 2nd age. Vivian shuddered, how awful it would be to have to leave Time City and live in history. Vivian hated history because of all the wide open spaces and huge sky. At least in Time City, even though they had to constantly expand its boarders, the sky ended eventually and did not go on forever and ever. Vivian was so lived. Vivian stopped in her tracks. She had never been here before and had no clue how to get home. Sighing Vivian decided she would just have to turn lost in thought that she didn't notice were she was going and soon found herself in the poorer part of Time City; the part where all the people who came from history around and start walking. She would eventually get to a familiar place.

After walking for what felt like a very long time, Vivian gave up and sat down on the sidewalk, leaning against the wall of a small little house. She could hear voices coming through the window.

"I don't care what you think Alannari! We have to go back into history and that's final!" Vivian heard a loud, shrill female voice yelling. The voice had a slight foreign accent, a sign that they had most likely just came from history.

"I hate history! Can't we stay here? If we'd go back I'd have to leave Duration! Do you know how long it took me to get into that school?" Another younger female voice yelled.

"Who cares what school you got into, girl? We could just leave you here. How would you like that?" A loud, booming voice said.

"I would like that very much. It would be better then living with you in history!" the girl retorted.

"Oh no you wouldn't, where would you live? How would you pay for that special school you're in? You couldn't do anything. You're just a silly little girl and you are going into history with us whether you like it or not. Now go to your room!" The man yelled.

"I already pay the fee to go to Duration by myself! You people never do a thing for me!" The girl yelled. 

There was silence for a while and then a door slammed. Vivian pulled herself up to the window ledge and peeked through the window, into the little room. She could see two people, one standing near the door and another sitting down on the bed. The woman was very pretty and wore her fair hair up in a bun. The man who stood near the door was very tall with dark black hair. Vivian couldn't help but think that she had seen these people before.

"You there, by the window, what do you think your doing?" The man asked pointing at her. Vivian gasped, loosing her grip on the window ledge and falling to the ground. "Come back here!" Vivian could hear the man yell as she jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could away from the house. She couldn't explain it but something told her that she should get away from those people as soon as possible. Glancing back she could see the man reaching through the window and shaking his fist at her, still yelling something that Vivian couldn't hear. 

Vivian ran as hard and as quick as her legs could carry her, not stopping until she reached the Gnomon Tower. She smiled, finally, a landmark she could recognize. From the Gnomon Tower Vivian managed to find the Annuate Palace, where she lived. Not wanting her parents to find out that she had been gone, Vivian climbed the tree next to her window and tumbled into her bedroom. She pulled back the cover and jumped into her bed, still shaking from fear and excitement.


	3. And Into History

Disclaimer: I do not own Time City or anything you recognize from the book A Tale of Time City

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a week like I said…*guilty look* but my teachers have decided to give me lots of homework lately. But this chapter is longer than the last one! You should be happy! J

            ChocolateEclar: Thanks so much for reviewing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Another Tale of ****Time********City******

**Chapter 3**

**And Into History**

_The next day…_

            Alannari stood on the wobbling stool trying to reach onto the highest shelf in her bedroom. She was getting out her old suitcase, something that she'd never thought she'd have to do. But now Agni and Sunaiviv were going back into history and she was going to need it. Pulling out her dresser drawers she dug through the many clothes that were the latest style in Time City and finally found her old, drab clothing from history. Alannari sighed as she packed these into her suitcase. Never again would she wear the nice, cool clothes of Time City. Just as she finished packing she heard a bang on her door.

            "We're leaving for 19th century in 3 hours!" Sunaiviv called through her door. 

            "Yes Uncle," Alannari yelled back in a sarcastic tone.

            "Don't you mock me, girl! And hurry up!"

            "Yes sir," Alannari said under her breath. 'How Sunaiviv could possibly be related to me I'll never know' she thought to herself. Her Uncle Sunaiviv was mean, disgusting, called her "girl", and only treated his daughter Naiviv Haras Eel nicely. If Alannari didn't keep finding excuses to stay away from the house, she suspected that her Uncle and Aunt, who was just as awful as her uncle, would probably try to turn her into their servant. Alannari shoved her window open, careful not to let it squeak, and climbed through. She wanted to have a chance to say good bye to all her favorite places in Time City.

(A/N: Sorry if I get any places in Time City wrong…I tried my best. lol)

 She jogged over to Aeon Square where she made sure to stop for a butter pie; something that she probably wouldn't eat ever again. When she was done she headed for Pendulum Gardens, another of her favorite places. She sighed as she leaned on the pretty china bridge's railing and stared out at the fountains. 

            BONG!

            Alannari jumped, startled by the BONG of the Gnomon Tower. She couldn't believe it was 12:00 already!

            BONG!

            Alannari hurried off the bridge and ran towards the Gnomon Tower. She couldn't miss it. If she had to leave Time City without seeing the…

            BONG!

            The Gnomon Tower's bell sounded again. To Alannari it was saying _hurry hurry_.

            BONG!

            Alannari finally made it to the Gnomon Tower and just in time. A time ghost was slowly making its way up the steps of the tower. After reading The Life of Vivian Smith Alannari now knew all about the time ghost. Before, she really didn't pay attention to him and had wanted him to make it to the top. She shuddered; thank goodness the ghost had not made it to the top. She couldn't imagine what Time City would be like if it was run by Viv, Inga, and Vivian Lee. Actually, she could, it would be like living with Sunaiviv and Agni. Alannari sighed and ran up the grassy hill, sitting down and leaning on the tower. Looking up into the sky, a big face suddenly came into view.

            "Oh go away Sam," Alannari said irritably, "I don't feel like playing any pranks right now!"

            "Oh, but I do!" Sam said sitting down next to her, "Do you always sit here and stare at the sky like this, Alannari? It seems like this is always where I find you."

            Alannari playfully shoved Sam over, "No I don't, you know that," She said. Then fighting to keep the tears that were coming back she added, "But you won't find me here ever again."

            "Why? Have you decided that the Gnomon Tower isn't as interesting as you seem to think it is?"

            "No Sam!" Alannari said laughing with tears spilling down her cheeks, "I'm just going into history that's all.

            "All you all right, Alannari? You seem to be crying and laughing at the same time!" Then the words hit him, "Going into history!" He yelled.

            "Shh! Not so loud! All those tourists will hear you!" Alannari hissed, finally getting control of her tears.

            "But you can't be sent into history!"

            "Sunaiviv and Agni are going so I have to too."

            "But you can't!"

            "But I can."

            "Can not!"

            "Can."

            "Can not!"

            "I can too, Sam. And I don't like it either. I have to go! They're forcing me."

            "Well, I'll talk to my dad! He'll understand! He always does!"

            "After you interrupted that ceremony yesterday? I doubt it Sam. Besides, it isn't time patrol that is assigning Sunaiviv and Agni to watch history, they chose too!" 

            "Who would want to?"

            "Them."

            "They're crazy!"

            "You just now figured that out?"

            "I won't let them take you!"

            "Sam, I have to go, arguing does no good." Alannari said, standing up, "Bye, Sam."

            With that said she ran off towards her house before Sam could say one thing more. She ran fast, knowing Sunaiviv would be mad that she was so late. Finding her house quickly she scrambled into her room through the window, only to bump right into…

            "Aunt Agni!" Alannari cried.

            "Alannari!" Agni yelled at her, "Where have you been? We're leaving any minute now!"

            "I…I'm sorry Aunt Agni, I had to say goodbye to…" Alannari started.

            "Where is that girl?" Sunaiviv bellowed, "I know I hear you, girl!"

            Alannari groaned; Sunaiviv was obviously in his worst mood. She was in for it.

            "There you are, girl!" Sunaiviv yelled right in her face. Alannari had to wipe drops of spit off her face. "I thought I told you to stay in your room!" He yelled again. He went on like this for a while. Alannari didn't pay any attention. Behind her uncle stood Naiviv with her hair all done up in a pretty blue bow and wearing a frilly blue dress. Alannari thought she looked sickeningly sweet. Naiviv was Sunaiviv and Agni's 11 year old daughter who always got her way and was the most annoying girl in the whole world. Naiviv smiled her sickeningly sweet smile and tilted her head, clutching a fresh butter pie. Alannari sent Naiviv her meanest glare. Unfortunately for Alannari, Sunaiviv saw this and hit Alannari across the face.

            "Listen to me girl!" He yelled at her, "Go and grab your things! Meet us at Time Patrol in 5 minutes! And don't be late!"

            As Sunaiviv, Agni and Naiviv started off for Time Patrol, Alannari hurriedly threw her jacket over one shoulder and picked up her suitcase. Once she caught up to them she spent her time imaging all the ways she could get back at Naiviv. She had just finished dreaming of shoving the butter pie down Naiviv's frilly dress when the group finally reached Time Patrol. 

            Once inside Time Patrol Alannari looked around, the last time she had been inside the building was when she had just arrived from history 6 years ago. Back then the perfect marble walls had amazed her. Now she just stared at them gloomily as Sunaiviv arranged for a Time Lock.

            "Come on, girl!" Sunaiviv barked at Alannari.

            Alannari grabbed her suitcase and followed him through and arch and into a rather big Time Lock that would take them to the year 1814. Alannari hated time traveling. Ever since her awful experience in coming to Time City she had vowed never to time travel again. Now she had to break that vow. 

            Suddenly everything went silvery and a cool, swift breeze swirled around them. Bright white light shone all around Alannari and she was forced to squeeze her eyes tight shut, covering her face with her arm.


	4. Clumsy Sleepyheads and Slowpokes

Disclaimer: I do not own Time City or anything you recognize from the book A Tale of Time City

A/N: Okay…there goes the whole "I'll update in a week plan". lol. I've been extremely busy.

            ChocolateEclar: Thank you for your reviews!

            Calcifersgrl: I'm glad you like my story. You really should read A Tale of Time City again….I could read it over and over and over and over…

**Another Tale of ****Time********City******

**Chapter 4**

**Clumsy Sleepyheads and Slowpokes**

_Now back to Vivian_

_(Same day Alannari left just in the morning)_

            Vivian yawned and sat up, throwing off her covers and bouncing out of bed. As she slipped into a new pajama suit (A/N: What are these things really called?) the events of last night suddenly came back to her. Falling back onto her bed, Vivian sighed. How awful for that poor girl who had to go into history. Vivian herself couldn't stand history. The open spaces and endless sky frightened her as well as most of the people in Time City. Slowly her bedroom door opened a crack and her brother, Elio's head peeked in.

            "Vivian, are you ready yet? It's almost time to go to D. Rednalliw's lesson!" Elio said, "Oh good, you're up! Come on! Do you want to be late again?"

            "Oh no!" Vivian cried, "Is it that late already? But I haven't had a chance to memorize that paper yet!"

            "Yes it is you sleepyhead!" Elio told her, for an 11 year old he certainly was a know-it-all, "And you had better read that paper on the way! Why didn't you do it last night?"

            "I was busy!" Vivian answered.

            Elio's head disappeared from the doorway and Vivian made a frantic search for the paper that she had so foolishly neglected to read. As soon as she had found it she tore out of her room, downstairs, and right into her mother.

            "Oh no! Sorry mother!" Vivian said, staring down at her mother who had fallen over.

            "Vivian, your lunch!" Her mother groaned, handing Vivian a paper sack.

            "Thanks mother!" Vivian said and ran out the door. She was already out of breath by the time she had caught up with Elio. 

            "Sleepyheads are Slowpokes too!" Elio teased.

            "Oh shut up Elio!" Vivian retorted.

            As she walked with Elio, Vivian tried desperately to learn the paper. She was so lost in reading it that she didn't notice the rather large crack in Faber John's stone until she tripped over it.

            "Looks like Sleepyheads are not only Slowpokes but really clumsy too!" Elio said laughing.

            Vivian glared at her brother. Little brothers could be so annoying. As she gathered up her books and the paper that had distracted her she noticed the crack. 

            "Elio!" she exclaimed, "Faber John's stone has a crack in it!"

            "So? It and all the other rocks around here, sis!"

            "Elio!" Vivian said, annoyed, "Can't you be serious for even a minute?"

            "But I am being…"

            "Elio!" Vivian cried, glaring at him.

            "Oh all right sis, what is it?"

            "Don't you realize that the last time Faber John's stone had a crack in it was when Time City was on the verge of collapsing?"

            Elio rolled his eyes, "And your point is?"

            "This could be a sign…a sign that…"

            "That you've been reading way too many adventure novels!"

            "No!" Vivian said, "That something…something bad could happen. And soon!"

            "Yeah, sure, whatever."

            "Elio, I'm serious!"

            "And so am I!" Elio said and ran off.

            "ELIO!" Vivian yelled after him, exasperated. Couldn't he see that this could be very important? And yet, a little voice in the back of her head told Vivian that Elio very well could be right. Perhaps she had just wanted a little bit of adventure to happen right here in Time City.


	5. A Fear of Heights

Disclaimer: I do not own Time City or anything you recognize from the book A Tale of Time City

A/N: Now to my reviewers:

            ChocolateEclar: Yes…siblings are very annoying!!! I should know…I have a little brother whose favorite pastime is to bug me to death! J Thanks for reviewing!!!!!

            Kookle Wrenford: I'm guessing you figured the…as you put it…BACKWARD…people out. lol. I suppose it was kind of obvious who they were. Thanks for reviewing!! I'm glad you liked my story!!!!!! 

**Another Tale of ****Time********City******

**Chapter 5**

**A Fear of Heights**

_Alannari_

_History- year 1814_

_New Orleans__, __Louisiana___

_Bright white light shone all around Alannari and she was forced to squeeze her eyes tight shut, covering her face with her arm…_

            When Alannari opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that the room she was in was drab, dull, and tiny. It was nothing like the places in Time City, and yet nothing like the 20th century, the time in history where she had grown up. 'This must be the 19th century', Alannari thought. By the time the shock of being in history had worn off and Alannari turned around to face the door of the little room, Sunaiviv, Agni, and Naiviv had already left. Alannari reached down for her suit case only to find empty air. Alannari looked down and groaned, she had made it safely into history but obviously her suitcase had not. Feeling rather annoyed, Alannari walked out of the room and set off to find Agni.

            Alannari did not find Agni but did discover that the tiny room was the only thing tiny about this house that she was in. After going down hallway after hallway and peeking into room after room, she was soon hopelessly lost. Once she had gone into the 10th bedroom decorated in pastel frilly trimmings and was about to give up, she suddenly came upon a very old looking door. It was surprisingly plain compared to the rest of the house and Alannari opened it up to investigate.

            Behind the door was the longest stairway she had ever seen. It just spiraled up and up and up, as far as she could see. Slowly Alannari made her way up the stairs, getting quite tired by the time she had gone up at least 2 flights of stairs. When she had finally reached the top she had to lean against the wall, panting before she tried opening the door. Shoving it open she found herself at the beginning of a long hallway lined with doors. She walked along, opening doors, peeking into rooms, and searching for anything interesting. The last door was closed and when she tried to open it, she found it locked. Giving the door a strong shove, Alannari tried her best to force it open. Finally the door gave way and she found herself holding half of the handle that had come apart from the door. 

            She tossed it off to the side and stepped into the room. A window right across from the door was open and the tattered curtains billowed in the breeze. Alannari strode over to the window and looked out. A gasp escaped from her. She was looking out on a huge plantation surrounded by trees. A great river ran not far off to the West. And clear blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see. Looking down Alannari realized that she was at least 3 stories up and probably in what was the attic. Alannari's knees bended underneath her and she collapsed to the dirty floor of the room. She hated her fear of heights. When she was in Time City it had always prevented her from going up the Gnomon Tower.

            Once she had calmed down, Alannari stood back up and looked around the room. The only furnishings were a small bed, a rather large chest, and a night stand. The bed looked as if it had been used recently. The covers were piled in a heap at the end of the bed and the pillow had fallen on the floor. Walking over to the chest, Alannari had just opened it and had begun to look through its contents when she heard a door open. Alannari jumped up, surprised, she hadn't remember closing the door. She turned around only to see that the door was still open and hadn't been touched. This confused Alannari even more.

            "Who are you and what are you doing here?" A voice said. In the corner of her eye, Alannari could see a tall girl glaring at her. The girl was wearing a dirty, ragged, brown dress and had the reddest hair that Alannari had ever seen.

            "I…I…" Alannari started, turning around to face the girl.

            "What makes you think you can just burst into my room and go through my things?"

            "I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone else lived here," Alannari said meekly. 

            "You…you live here?" The girl asked, her glare turning to a look of worry.

            "Yes, we just moved in," Alannari said hoping that this really was their house.

            "Oh…well never mind," The girl said, running to the window and jumping out of it.

            "What do you think you're doing?" Alannari screamed. She ran towards the window and looked down. Leaning slightly over the edge of the window, all Alannari could see was fancy bushes and nicely trimmed grass along the edge of the house. She tried to turn sideways so she could see onto the roof. A tall figure had just disappeared from the roof and into another window, two down from Alannari's. Without thinking, Alannari quickly climbed out of the window and began to make her way across the roof. About halfway to the window, Alannari saw a little glimpse of the ground below and, suddenly realizing what she was doing, her fear of heights took over. Clinging to the roof, Alannari looked desperately around for help.

            Taking a deep breath, Alannari let go of the roof and slowly stood up. By practically crawling across the roof, Alannari finally reached the safety of the windowsill. She dropped through the window and into the room. From there she started to run towards the stairs, hoping to find the girl. As soon as she got to the stairs at the end of the hallway, she could tell she had gone towards the wrong one. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that another staircase was at the other end of the hall, too. Only that one had a door, like the one she had originally came up. The ones she was in front of now had no door; it looked as if it had been torn off. She started down the stairs. Carefully at first, for the stairs were really steep.

            Alannari never was that athletic and got tired after only a few stairs. Seeing that there was a railing on the outside wall of the stairs, Alannari sat on it and slid down the railing the rest of the way. This idea seemed to work perfectly and Alannari was having lots of fun. Until she came to the bottom of the steps, that is. The stair railing ended abruptly at the door at the bottom. A door that was getting increasingly larger in size as Alannari slid farther and farther down the stair rail. Realizing that there was no way to jump off the rail and that she couldn't slow herself down, Alannari closed her eyes tight and yelled as loud as she could, hoping someone would hear her.

A/N: I feel really sorry for Alannari in this chapter. I hadn't meant for her to be so afraid of everything but I think she chose to be…lol. These characters really do surprise me sometimes!


End file.
